NHTSA Complaint #10255309 — 2003 TOYOTA MATRIX

RE: ? TOYOTA USA CASE #?S 20812220115, 200812310223, ETC.. ON NOVEMBER 29, 2008 I BOUGHT A 2003 TOYOTA MATRIX WITH 44,598 MILES ON IT. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, IT WAS OVER A QUART LOW ON OIL. THIS HAPPENED AGAIN WHICH TOYOTA HAS A LETTER FROM ME. AFTER THIS, I DROVE THE CAR 50 MILES AND IT USED AROUND 2/3 A QUART OF OIL. I CALLED THE TOYOTA EXPERIENCE CENTER AND TOLD THEM THE PROBLEMS I WAS HAVING AND THEY TOLD ME TO TAKE IT TO THE LOCAL DEALER TO HAVE IT CHECKED. THE PERSON I TALKED TO, LOOKED UP THE VIN # AND TOLD ME THAT THE ENGINE ON THIS CAR HAD BEEN REBUILT AT 41,459 MILES, IN NOVEMBER 2007 AT HEADQUARTERS TOYOTA, IN MIAMI, FLORIDA. HE ALSO TOLD ME THAT TOYOTA WOULD PROBABLY PICK UP THE REPAIR SINCE IT HAD LESS THAN 4,000 MILES ON A REBUILT ENGINE (CURRENTLY THE CAR HAS 45,398 MILE ON IT). I TOOK THE CAR TO MY LOCAL DEALER L&S TOYOTA, IN BECKLEY, WV ON DECEMBER 23, 2008. THEY DID A COMPRESSION TEST ON THE ENGINE AND IT FAILED. THE SERVICE MANAGER AT L&S TOYOTA TOLD ME THE ENGINE BLOCK SHOULD HAVE BEEN REPLACED WHEN HEADQUARTERS TOYOTA REBUILT THE ENGINE, BUT HADN'T BEEN. AFTER ABOUT 10 CALLS TO TOYOTA CORPORATE AND NUMEROUS CASE NUMBERS THE VERDICT WAS IN. TERR, THE SERVICE MANAGER AT L&S TOYOTA SAID THEY WILL NOT FIX THE ENGINE UNLESS I PAY FOR THE REPAIR MYSELF. JOHN LINO FROM HEADQUARTERS TOYOTA, MIAMI TOLD ME THEY WOULD TAKE CARE OF THE REPAIR BUT I WOULD HAVE TO BRING THE CAR THERE, WHICH IS 950 MILES AWAY. THE MATRIX ENGINE HAS BLOWN TWICE WITHIN 45,398 MILES AND TOYOTA IS OFFERING NO ASSISTANCE. BOTH OF THESE DEALERSHIPS ARE GOVERNED BY TOYOTA MOTOR SALES, USA, SO HOW CAN THE ONE GET AUTHORIZATION TO DO THE REPAIR BUT THE OTHER ONE CAN?T? THE 2003 MATRIX THAT I AM REFERRING TO IS THE 8TH TOYOTA THAT I HAVE OWNED, BECAUSE OF THEIR RELIABILITY. *TR